Perfect Pulled Pork

This pulled pork ecipe is perfect for a number of reasons. Firstly it’s just two ingredients, thrown in the oven and left in there for several hours to slowly cook. Secondly the taste is great (you need to use good pork though). Thirdly, the leftovers reheat well, just bake the amount that you want for one meal on a low heat until it’s heated through. This recipe can even be made with frozen pork without needing to thaw it in advance – just give it half an hour or so longer in the oven.

The amount of this can easily be adjusted, if you go below 4 pounds in weight you may need to decrease the salt. I usually cook between 4 and 6 pounds (2-3kg) at once, it fits well into my 5.2 litre french oven and gives us enough leftovers for at least two more meals.

1 big roasting cut of real free-range* pork**
2 tablespoons salt, plus more to taste***
optional cider vinegar to taste

Heat the oven to 180ºc (375ºf). Put your pork in a large cast iron french oven, or another solid oven-proof dish with a tightly fitting lid (or use foil as a lid), sprinkle the salt all over it and put the lid on. Roast for around four hours, or until it easily shreds apart with a fork, then pull the pork by shredding it all with two forks.

Taste it and add extra salt and a splash of cider vinegar if you think it needs it. Serve with a large serving of a strongly flavoured salad, such as a coleslaw of shredded cabbage and carrot dressed in plenty of cider vinegar, with a dash of olive oil, crushed garlic or chives, salt and honey.

*don’t make this recipe with inferior pork or you’ll be disappointed. “Bred free-range” is not the same as free-range, try and find a local farmer that raises their pigs well.

**pork shoulder is traditional for this, but any big roasting cut will do. If your roast has skin on it, you can either cut it off and crisp it up separately (recommended), or you can just leave it on there, the texture of the skin won’t be as good if you do this.

***This amount is for Himalayan salt or Celtic sea salt, reduce the amount of salt by a teaspoon or two if you’re using refined salt.